Lead story

Tories war on the RMT

by Daphne Liddle

THE IRON hand of the new Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, emerged from the shadows last week. Southern Rail has threatened to sack all its train guards unless they signed a new contract downgrading their role and paving the way for its abolition, while Grayling launched an attack on the RMT transport union in a speech at the Tory party conference in Birmingham.

The franchise for Southern Rail is run by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). Passengers there have faced months of disruption as GTR cancelled thousands of trains over the summer period. They blamed the union for this saying the cancellations were an anticipation of continuing strikes against the cutting of qualified guards.

A bonfire of children’s rights

A GOVERNMENT Bill now making its way through the House of Lords will allow local authorities to opt out of child protection laws that have grown up over the last 80 years. Many of these laws were introduced after tragedies, such as the deaths of Victoria Climbié and “Baby P”.

The Children and Social Work Bill will allow councils to opt out of the statutory requirements, placed on them by child protection laws, for three years, which could be extended to six years.

The reason given is to allow local authorities to experiment with new ways of delivering “child protection outcomes more efficiently” — in other words by privatisation or outsourcing to charities. The exemption would mean that local authorities could not be taken to court if these experiments were to go tragically wrong.

Living the Dream in the DPR Korea

by Dermot Hudson

I VISITED the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) from the 6th September to the 13th September to participate in the International Seminar on the Juche Idea for Anti-Imperialism, Independence and Solidarity. The trip was organised by the Korean Association of Social Scientists (KASS) and the International Institute of the Juche Idea (IIJI) and included the celebrations of the 68th anniversary of the foundation of the DPRK, the sacred homeland of Juche!

Editorial

Defend Jackie Walker

DESPITE a draconian purge of new members and supporters, Labour’s right-wing clique failed to stop the re-election of Jeremy Corbyn last month. Corbyn’s popularity has grown and even more people are being drawn to his anti-austerity banner since winning the leadership election for the second time in September. But the right-wing hasn’t given up the fight. They have now resumed their bogus campaign, in alliance with Zionist elements entrenched within the Labour apparatus, to target any pro-Palestinian left-winger they deem to be “anti-semitic” for expulsion.

Last spring former London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Naz Shah MP were their most prominent victims. Both were suspended from Labour Party membership and though Naz Shah has now been re-admitted Livingstone still remains in limbo. Now Jackie Walker has fallen foul of this hypocritical clique who pose as anti-racists to smear anyone campaigning for justice for the Palestinian Arabs but are rarely, if ever, seen to challenge the fascists and neo-nazis on the streets of Britain today.

Jackie Walker, who was briefly suspended earlier in the year, has now been removed as vice-chair of Momentum, the grass-roots movement organised to mobilise mass support for the Corbyn platform. Despite overwhelming support from the rank-and-file Jackie Walker was removed by seven votes to three.